After a 5-month absence, Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines are set to resume publishing with the September issues. To Jonathan Sweet, Dave Barista, and their new editorial director, Patrick O’Toole, welcome back, guys! I look forward to working with you again.
Okay, Mad Men is in its fourth season, and I have yet to comment on it, or use it in any commentary. That’s mainly because it takes place some 50 years ago, before my parents were even married. The marketing landscape has changed drastically since then.
But there was a scene in this week’s (August 15) episode that reaffirmed a belief of mine. In the scene, Don rips into the market research lady (I forget her name) because the focus group indicated that the proper strategy was to use decades-old messaging to sell Ponds Cold Cream.
Here is the scene…
One line says it all: “You can’t tell how people are going to behave based on how they have behaved,” says Don.
I think this line is instructive for, well everyone, but particularly those of us in marketing. Our challenge should always be to challenge the accepted wisdom and try something new. There are lots of different versions of that line that we should take to heart:
We should all be mindful of the past, but know that it has very little to do with the future.
The first in an ongoing series of posts celebrating the best (or the worst) tchotchkes, swag, giveaways and samples found at trade shows.
Today’s entry: Squishy Foam Porta-Potty
Company: National Construction Rentals
Trade Show: PCBC 2010
Comments: Squishy foam tchotchkes are nothing new. Companies have been giving them away for decades. Irresistible to hold and squeeze, they are a great way to get your brand in people’s hands, literally. This one takes the familiar shape of the portable restroom found at
festivals, tailgate parties, construction sites and other spaces where people gather away from indoor plumbing. It makes a nice addition to my desk.
The only problem: I find myself having to use the bathroom more often.
Advertising, in its conventional form, is becoming less and less effective as a means of attracting new business. There are still plenty of cases where advertising works, particularly when there is a compelling product with benefits that can be demonstrated visually quickly.
But for many businesses, whose products or services don’t immediately evoke an “I want that” reaction, advertising is difficult. These are companies that deal in concepts, ideas, creativity, and problem-solving. Their business is built through relationships and referrals. Blasting strangers with shot messages just doesn’t work.
So how can these companies reach new prospects, aside from ongoing networking?
Give stuff away for free.
This goes against everything we’ve been taught as businesspeople and capitalists. But these days, I think the more you give, the more you are likely to get.
I’m not talking about donating products or full-service capabilities willy-nilly. I’m talking about offering help in the form of ideas or advice – related to your area of expertise – to people who are likely to benefit from it.
One place where you can do this is on a LinkedIn discussion group. In these groups people are looking for help and feedback all the time. If you see a request where you can add something of value, don’t hold back. Tell the person how you would address the issue they are dealing with, and be specific. What better way to “advertise” your capabilities?
Doing this will have one or more likely outcomes:
These outcomes won’t happen every time, but the more you do it, the more likely they are to happen. And it’s a far less expensive, far more effective way for you to “advertise” how smart you are to highly qualified audiences.
A few months ago, I witnessed the death of a brand. Actually it was the final breaths of a brand that started dying about nine years before.
The brand I’m referring to was Midwest Airlines. If you don’t live in the Midwest, you’re probably not familiar. In its heyday from the mid 80s to the late 90s, Midwest was perhaps the best domestic airline in the country. It was universally loved for outstanding service and amenities. Every plane had wide, first-class leather seats throughout the plane; there was no coach class. With quality rivaling most restaurants, the food was included in the price of the ticket and was served on actual plates with real silverware and complementary wine or Champagne.
And, of course, there were the cookies. Fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies served on every flight. They were almost worth the price of the ticket alone. Midwest was truly remarkable among airlines. No one even came close.
But after 9/11 and the subsequent spike in fuel prices, it became impossible for Midwest to offer those amenities and be profitable. So they began whittling away at the things that were nice about the brand to save costs. They were in a tough spot, and they had to do what they had to do. But it was the beginning of the end for the brand.
A series of takeover attempts, mergers and reorganizations led to Midwest being purchased by Republic Airways, which also owns Frontier Airlines. In the spring of 2010, the two airlines were combined under the Frontier brand. And that was that.
There were certainly extreme circumstances that led to Midwest’s demise, but I still think there are lessons to be learned here. Sometimes brands die due to changing business climates and there is little anyone can do to save them. But often I think brands fade away, becoming a shadow of their former selves – even if the company survives – because they are not properly cared for and managed.
What set Midwest apart were all the little things. The seats, the service, the smiles, the cookies, all made flying Midwest a pleasant experience in the sea of discomfort and frustration that is air travel. Those details defined Midwest’s brand. People were willing to pay extra to fly Midwest. When they started taking them away, they gradually became just another airline.
I’m sure you can think of other brands that have gone through that whittling away process. Whether it’s a local restaurant or an international corporation, perhaps there are things you remember they used to do – nice little details – that they just don’t do anymore. The company may or may not survive and keep providing its product or service. But the reason to go out of your way to patronize them is gone. The brand is dead.
What are the little details that define your brand? The things that people love about doing business with you. The things people would pay extra for. The things your competitors can’t or won’t do. Make a list of those things, decide which are the most important, and protect them. Don’t let them become the victim of a cost-cutting measure.
I am not saying your brand shouldn’t evolve and change with the times. That list of little details may have to change or be replaced over the years. But the day you start taking them away and becoming more like your competition is the day your brand starts dying.
